Dieter Kellouche waited days for surgery, was deprived of painkillers after being attacked in his bunk bed.
German national, Dieter Kellouche, was violently assaulted in a UAE prison over a container of instant noodles. Dieter was taken to hospital with a broken foot but there were ‘not enough beds’ so he was returned to prison where he waited for medical attention for 3 days. He was denied painkillers and left in a vulnerable state. Dieter’s wife, Suki, desperately lobbied the German embassy to help him get treatment but said “they did nothing for Dieter”.
“It’s outrageous that the German government has not stepped in. Dieter was jailed because a Sheikh decided to put him there. When will Germany call out this injustice and let the UAE know that injustices like these will not be tolerated. Dieter has done nothing wrong, but because a Sheikh is involved, the courts automatically rule in his favour. The Sheikh asked for money to end Dieter's life sentence but Dieter didn’t have the money and nor should he be vulnerable to extortion in a country that is supposed to be Germany’s ally”, explained Suki.
“Ras Al Khaimah ruler, Sheikh Saud Al Qasimi, has been exploiting his position as effective ‘owner’ of the justice system, locking up his rivals, adversaries or those he wishes to extort funds from”.
“The German government confirmed that Sheikh Mohammed Sultan bin Huwaiden Al Ketbi has been a “problem in the past”, but the biggest problem is the German government’s lack of representation of citizens who face the Sheikh”, added Stirling. “It’s absolutely appalling that Dieter has been in jail since 2017 when he was sentenced to life in prison for ‘insulting’ the Sheikh. He has now been violently assaulted in prison and subjected to human rights violations.
“It is time Germans updated their travel warnings to the UAE to include the real risk of being falsely accused, detained without charge, forced to confess and subjected to unfair trials. It is insufficient to warn citizens not to ‘break the law’. Too many foreign nationals have been detained and even tortured after being falsely accused of a crime, only to later be exonerated of the charges but by then, it can be too late. That person’s life has been ruined”.